Neutral Jing
by bombalurima
Summary: Haru has been taught by the earth itself in the ways of life...until someone very different comes along and shakes his world up. A Ty Laru one-shot.


_A/N: __So. Ty Laru is one of my unsung loves-and I figured it was darn time I stepped up to the plate and wrote something for it. _

_This story largely concerns just Haru as a character-I think he's pretty awesome, despite some calling him 'bland' or whatever. And him and Ty Lee? Totally sweet together!_

_I liked this so much, I can only say that I'll certainly write more at a later date. ;)_

* * *

Haru knew what it is like to hide a part of himself.

He could still remember the day he first discovered that he was an Earthbender, when he was a little over six years old. He had been playing ball with a group of older boys in his village—his first mistake.

They were faster than him, bigger and stronger. They had only allowed him to join their game because they needed an extra player to make equal teams. The team he was a part of had done their fair share of moaning and complaining, annoyed at this unfortunate development. Haru merely grit his teeth, but kept quiet—his father had repeated to him often enough that if he persevered, there was nothing he could not get through.

It had happened by accident. At one moment, Haru had been taking a mighty kick towards the ball with his foot, the next—a chunk of earth had risen to knock the ball with a blow far greater than anything he could ever deliver, blasting it down the street and earning his team a point.

The other boys ogled at him for a minute, before regrouping to discuss this sudden occurrence. Haru was feeling a tad bewildered—but he could not keep the smile off of his face. That one simple motion had triggered a flood of emotions inside of him, the greatest feeling of enlightment, of something that was simply [i]right[/i] settling into place inside of him.

Just as he was beginning to entertain the thrill of trying to perform the act again, the older boys all turned and stepped in front of them. Their bodies were huge compared to his—they lurked over him like mountains, unyielding and just as menacing.

They demanded that he show them the trick again. Haru obeyed—it was amazing, to do it again this time with the intention, and normally, he would have rejoiced. But circumstances being what they were, he felt that perhaps now was not the best time to jump up and down and clap his hands, as he was doing inwardly.

The boys then wanted to know just [i]how[/i] exactly little Haru, the smallest and weakest of their group, had managed to perform such a stunt. "I'm an Earthbender!" Haru announced, trying to keep the pride and joy out of his voice. "Just like my dad!" How proud his father would be when he told him!

The boys decided that was enough, and came to a conclusion about what to do concerning this interesting new predicament. None of them were Benders—but at the time, it didn't matter.

They beat him near black and blue, before leaving him on the street. _"Freak," _One of them hissed at him before giving him a sharp blow to the head as he lay in the dust like a beaten dog, before following the others.

Haru collected what little scraps of dignity and pride he had left, and forced himself to stop crying. He wiped his tears, noting how puffy his face was becoming already, and struggled to his feet.

His mother screamed when she caught sight of him as soon as he made it home. His father Tyro looked grim—but as he watched his son sit quietly through his mother's treatments, saying not a word and refusing to flinch or shed another tear, he couldn't hold back the thrum of pride coursing through his heart.

The earth was resilient—and so Haru was as well.

* * *

Years later, the Fire Nation overtook their little village. They rounded up every single last Earthbender and hoarded them off to a special prison, Haru's father included.

Haru's mother, terrified, forbade him from ever practicing his art again. It was for his own safety, she told him with tears in her eyes. Did he want to be rounded up like an animal and left to rot away in some remote prison?

Haru understood her concern—but he found that he simply could not obey her. He had been punished for his gift once before, back when he had first discovered it.

He would never have to suffer for his Earthbending again. It was a part of him, just as it had been for Tyro. To push it away would be as easy as deciding to stop using his eyes, to stop hearing with his ears, to stop _breathing._

He would journey away from his village for periods at a time (but never too long to avoid causing suspicion), and would practice, the best that he could. His father had taught him the basics—but they had never gotten to anything too advanced.

Haru performed his basic moves over and over again, sometimes, merely lifting rocks of heavier and heavier sizes simply to keep training. It was not exactly thrilling, repeating the basic techniques that he had already mastered—but there was little else to be done. With no Earthbending teacher for miles around, there was little he could do.

But the earth was patient, and Haru could be as well. He kept his head down in public. He did not raise attention to himself and his mother. He behaved as just another mindless sheep in the flock.

There were times were, as he lay awake in bed at night, that he worried as to if what he was doing was the right thing. Should he be discovered, there would no doubt be dire consequences to suffer. His mother would be penalized as well, as she was the one who had commanded that he keep his Bending a secret in the first place.

However, he was in too deep now. There was no turning back, no easy way that he could truly become a part of the flock of his fellow villagers.

So outwardly, Haru looked the other way. He kept his eyes averted, his gaze downcast. He played the part of the mundane, weary villager. No one ever suspected a thing.

But inwardly—there was an earthquake starting, the very beginning of just faintly rumbling in his chest. The noise grew a little louder every day. He knew it was just a matter of time before it burst loose.

Haru was not sure just when exactly. He could wait, however. The earth was patient, and so he could be as well.

* * *

Sometime after the Great War ended, Haru was introduced to a petite girl with a long brown braid, wide gray eyes, and the brightest smile he had ever seen. Suki, the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, introduced her as a fellow member of her group and a good friend of her's.

The girl introduced herself as Ty Lee. Within the first five minutes of meeting her, he had already learned that her favorite color was pink, her favorite season was spring, she was a master chi-blocker, she had worked at the circus before, she loved animals (particularly baby ones), and that, according to her, his aura was green.

He learned something else about her too, though this was something he drew up on his own. He liked her. He really did.

Over time, Ty Lee began making trips to his village, simply to see him. He would journey to Kyoshi Island to spend time with her. He never once grew tired of her anecdotes, of the stories she loved to share with him.

He learned that she had once worked for the Princess Azula and had been best friends with the Lady Mai—and every time she mentioned her, Ty Lee's voice grew a little quieter, her shoulders hunched a little more. She lost a tiny bit of her usual spark, and something about her became colder.

Haru though it might be more tactful of him to ignore these little moments—but he wound up deciding to dig into them anyway.

It took her a while—but she explained. She was scared, she confessed to him, tears shining in her eyes, of letting someone into her heart again. She had loved Azula, and she had been spurned, mocked and tormented, frightened into her worshipful treatment. She had loved Mai, who had turned her away, had chosen another over her. Ty Lee liked the idea of making new friends—but she didn't dare fall in love with someone ever again.

She told him she was scared to be with him for that reason alone.

Haru was lost for words for a moment—but something took ahold of him that pointed him in the right direction. He put his arms around her, held her close, and murmured into her ear:

"I'll wait as long as you need me too."

Haru, as difficult as it could be at times, remained patient. He knew Ty Lee would come to a decision eventually. And no matter what road she took—he would respect it, and let her walk it.

But he did not break off any of his ties with her. He still visited. He still talked long hours into the night with her, made her laugh and in turn, laughed because of her. Haru remained her friend—and at the time, that was all that was needed.

It stayed like that for a time. Haru picked her a bouquet of flowers for her birthday, and hand-delivered them to her house. When Ty Lee opened the door, she took one look at the blooms in his hands, before throwing her arms around him and pressing a searing kiss to his lips.

She finally pulled away after what could have been minutes, or hours, or several sunlit days, but when she did, there was a sparkle in her eyes, a blush on her cheeks, a smile on her lips.

"Oh, thank you!" Ty Lee removed the now-squashed flowers out of his hands. She placed them in the crook of her arm, and took ahold of Haru's hand with her free one, giving it a light squeeze.

"And I don't mean just for the flowers…" She confessed in a lower voice, looking up at him with her bright, dancing gray orbs. "For _everything. _And especially for waiting. Do you want to come in and have a cup of tea?"

He nodded soundlessly and followed her inside, a big, stupid grin unfurling on his face. The earth was supposed to be unshakable, and so was Haru.

He wasn't so sure about that one anymore.


End file.
